Bill-file



(No Model.)

J. M. D. FRANCE.

- I BILL FILE.

No. 514,921. Patented Feb. 20, 1894.

Attorney wuumarcn n c U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. D. FRANCE, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

BILL-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part er Letters Patent No. 514,921, dated February20, 1894.

- I Application filed August 29, 1892|' Serial No. 444,483. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. D. FRANCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bill-Files; and Ido declare the following to be aful], clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked Ehereon,which form a part of this specifica- I attain my object by the mechanismillus trated by the accompanying drawings, in which--- n I Figure l is aperspective view of the billfile. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of main or stationary plate.Fig. 4 is a front elevation of lock as it appears closed, and Fig. 5shows the lock open. a

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The invention consists of a base, A, with main or stationary plate B atend securely braced at right angles, slide board or plate D havingapertures or slots 01 for the passage of steel bars E, an end of eachbar being inserted immovably in plate B. Attached to the outside ofplate Dis spring plate F having a spring, H, fastened thereto throughthe middle by rivet h. Attached to, spring H near the ends thereof arethumb pulls K to be used in tightening and loosening spring H with orfrom engagement with bars E, the bars extended horizontally to a pointnear the other end of base A, then curved and extended vertically to thebase and fastened rigidly therein.

The bill-file may be constructed of any suitable material, althoughIpreferably use wood for the base, main and sliding plates.

Bars E may be made round, or three-fourths round, with outer side flat.

In use, the papers to be retained inlbill-file are placed onmain plate,and sliding plate D is pressed by the fingers of one hand closelyagainst the papers. Upon removal of pressure of fingers the papers, byreason of their elasticity, rebound, and their rebound pressure againstplate D and resulting pressure on spring H engages and locks spring H ateach end with bars E and the papers are thus held firmly in place in thebill-file. To release the papers itis only necessary to lightly pressthumb pulls K inward. This pressure lifts the ends of spring H; releasesspring H from engagement with bars E, and relieves the papers from allpressure from plate D.

, It will be noticed that in looking the billfile the pressure thatforces the spring to engage the bars at the same time forces the barsagainst the sides of apertures or slots d, thereby tightening the holdof the lock and atfording a double action of spring and bars.

I reserve to myself the right to extend the ends of the spring beyondbars allowingbars to pass through holes in spring, and construct thumbpulls by merely turning the ends of spring outward instead ofconstructing the thumb pulls separately and attaching them to thespring.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described bill-file, composed of a base-plate having anend-plate B, vertically secured thereto, as shown, and provided with apair of headederods E E arranged to project over the base-plate, asdescribed, in combination with the clamping-plate D, and springplate F,each perforated and adapted to opcrate on the rods E, E; thelocking-plate H secured to plate F so that its notched-ends may engagethe aforesaid rods, and the thumbpulls K, K, for releasing, and handlingthe JOHN M. D. FRANCE.

Witnesses:

D. WARD KING, Owens 0. WHALEY.

